Government, private sector to fight terror

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, April 16 (UPI) -- Government and private-sector leaders from Kyrgyzstan concluded a conference Thursday that was held to strengthen efforts to combat terrorism in the country.

The workshop, backed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, was designed to bring together authorities from government, civil society and business to address ways to cooperate on countering terrorism in Kyrgyzstan and the Central Asian region, the OSCE reported.

Officials said more than 80 representatives gathered together for two days in a move to control extremism through partnering to address the root causes of terrorism.

"The discussions probed the symptoms and causes of threats posed by terrorism and radicalization in this region specifically and highlighted the vital role that the various parts of society -- government, civil society, businesses and citizens -- can play in their deterrence," Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, head of the OSCE center in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, said in a statement.